The First Palestinian Intifada and Downing Pan Am Flight 103: 1987-88

In December, 1987, an Israeli truck had struck and injured some Palestinian laborers, and rather than treating it as a traffic accident, the Palestinians had reacted with great emotion, and youths took to throwing stones at Israeli soldiers. The Palestinians were fed-up with Israeli occupation, and a campaign of children throwing stones at occupying soldiers continued for months and advertised Palestinian grievances. The PLO was stunned by the greater success of kids arousing support for the Palestinians. Arab states were concerned about the popularization and spread of rebellion and in January, 1988, an Arab summit meeting took place in Tunisia. Hoping to apply control on the rising they recognized Arafat as the leader of the Intifada, despite Arafat not having organized it, and they provided him with money required to assert his leadership.

Within Israel itself a move for peace and giving the Palestinians some justice grew, especially among Israel's Labor Party and those who were not religious. Shimon Peres and Abba Eban, of Israel's Labor Party, were among those seeking a settlement with the Palestinians. But the violence continued.

On April 16, 1988, Israeli agents killed Abu Jihad (Khalil all-Wazir), a close aid of Arafat and second in command of the PLO's militant Fatah faction. The Israelis had held Abu Jihad responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israelis, but, like other retaliations, the assassination did nothing to advance disincentive against continuing Palestinian assaults. On July 11, three gunmen, reported to be Palestinian terrorists, attacked and killed nine tourists and injured 100 on a Greek ship, the City of Poros, as it was sailing toward a marina in suburban Athens.

In July, 1988, King Hussein of Jordan announced that he no longer considered the West Bank a part of his kingdom. In another matter not involving Israel,

On December 21, 1988, a U.S. Pan American airliner, Flight 103, from London to New York, exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. Evidence was to point to an explosion in the baggage department. It was not a matter that involved Israel, but people did believe it was about terrorism in the Middle East. The bomb is believed to be revenge for the accidental shooting down of the Iranian airliner by the U.S. Navy in July.

please continue

to navigation links at the top